Apparatus and Method for Combining Currents from Passive Equalizer in Sense Amplifier

1. An apparatus, comprising: a passive equalizer comprising a first signal path configured to generate a first signal based on an input signal, and a second signal path configured to generate a second signal by filtering the input signal; and a sense amplifier comprising: a circuit configured to discharge or charge first and second nodes in response to a first state of a clock signal; an input circuit configured to generate a third signal related to a combination of the first and second signals in response to a second state of the clock signal; and a data detection circuit configured to generate data based on a first rate at which a first component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged first node compared to a second rate at which a second component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged second node; and wherein the first signal comprises a first differential signal including a first positive component and a first negative component, and the second signal comprises a second differential signal including a second positive component and a second negative component; and wherein the input circuit is further configured to: generate a first current based on the first positive component of the first differential signal; generate a second current based on the first negative component of the first differential signal; generate a third current based on the second positive component of the second differential signal; and generate a fourth current based on the second negative component of the second differential signal; and wherein the third signal comprises a fifth current related to a sum of the first and fourth currents, and a sixth current related to a sum of the second and third currents.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second signal path comprises a high-pass filter.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second signal path comprises a low-pass filter.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first signal path comprises an all-pass path.

5. An apparatus, comprising: a passive equalizer comprising a first signal path configured to generate a first signal based on an input signal, and a second signal path configured to generate a second signal by filtering the input signal; and a sense amplifier comprising: a circuit configured to discharge or charge first and second nodes in response to a first state of a clock signal; an input circuit configured to generate a third signal related to a combination of the first and second signals in response to a second state of the clock signal; and a data detection circuit configured to generate data based on a first rate at which a first component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged first node compared to a second rate at which a second component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged second node; and wherein the first signal comprises a first differential signal including a first positive component and a first negative component, and the second signal comprises a second differential signal including a second positive component and a second negative component; and wherein the input circuit is further configured to: generate a first current based on the first positive component of the first differential signal; and generate a second current based on the first negative component of the first differential signal; generate a third current based on the second positive component of the second differential signal; and generate a fourth current based on the second negative component of the second differential signal; wherein the third signal comprises a fifth positive current related to a sum of the first and third currents, and a sixth negative current related to a sum of the second and fourth currents.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the data detection circuit is configured to generate the data based on whether the fifth current is greater than the sixth current.

7. A method, comprising: generating a first signal based on an input signal; filtering the input signal to generate a second signal; discharging or charging first and second nodes in response to a first state of a clock signal; generating a third signal related to a combination of the first and second signals in response to a second state of the clock signal; and generating data based on a first rate at which a first component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged first node compared to a second rate at which a second component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged second node; and wherein the first signal comprises a first differential signal including a first positive component and a first negative component, and the second signal comprises a second differential signal including a second positive component and a second negative component; and wherein generating the third signal further comprises: generating a first current based on the first positive component of the first differential signal; and generating a second current based on the first negative component of the first differential signal; generating a third current based on the second positive component of the second differential signal; and generating a fourth current based on the second negative component of the second differential signal; wherein the third signal comprises a fifth current related to a sum of the first and fourth currents, and a sixth current related to a sum of the second and third currents.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein filtering the input signal comprises high-pass filtering the input signal.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein filtering the input signal comprises low-pass filtering the input signal.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein generating the first signal comprises passing the input signal through an all-pass path.

11. A method, comprising: generating a first signal based on an input signal; filtering the input signal to generate a second signal; discharging or charging first and second nodes in response to a first state of a clock signal; generating a third signal related to a combination of the first and second signals in response to a second state of the clock signal; and generating data based on a first rate at which a first component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged first node compared to a second rate at which a second component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged second node; and wherein the first signal comprises a first differential signal including a first positive component and a first negative component, and the second signal comprises a second differential signal including a second positive component and a second negative component; and wherein generating the third signal further comprises: generating a first current based on the first positive component of the first differential signal; and generating a second current based on the first negative component of the first differential signal; generating a third current based on the second positive component of the second differential signal; and generating a fourth current based on the second negative component of the second differential signal; wherein the third signal comprises a fifth current related to a sum of the first and fourth currents, and a sixth current related to a sum of the second and third currents.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the data comprises generating the data based on whether the fifth current is greater than the sixth current.

13. An apparatus, comprising: means for generating a first signal based on an input signal; means for filtering the input signal to generate a second signal; means for discharging or charging first and second nodes in response to a first state of a clock signal; means for generating a third signal related to a combination of the first and second signals in response to a second state of the clock signal; and means for generate data based on a first rate at which a first component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged first node compared to a second rate at which a second component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged second node, wherein the first signal comprises a first differential signal including a first positive component and a first negative component, and the second signal comprises a second differential signal including a second positive component and a second negative component; and wherein the means for generating the third signal further comprises: means for generating a first current based on the first positive component of the first differential signal; and means for generating a second current based on the first negative component of the first differential signal; means for generating a third current based on the second positive component of the second differential signal; and means for generating a fourth current based on the second negative component of the second differential signal; wherein the third signal comprises a fifth current related to a sum of the first and fourth currents, and a sixth current related to a sum of the second and third currents.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the means for filtering the input signal comprises means for high-pass filtering the input signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the means for filtering the input signal comprises means for low-pass filtering the input signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the means for generating the first signal comprises means for passing the input signal through an all-pass path.

17. An apparatus, comprising: means for generating a first signal based on an input signal; means for filtering the input signal to generate a second signal; means for discharging or charging first and second nodes in response to a first state of a clock signal; means for generating a third signal related to a combination of the first and second signals in response to a second state of the clock signal; and means for generate data based on a first rate at which a first component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged first node compared to a second rate at which a second component of the third signal charges or discharges the discharged or charged second node, wherein the first signal comprises a first differential signal including a first positive component and a first negative component, and the second signal comprises a second differential signal including a second positive component and a second negative component; and wherein the means for generating the third signal further comprises: means for generating a first current based on the first positive component of the first differential signal; and means for generating a second current based on the first negative component of the first differential signal; means for generating a third current based on the second positive component of the second differential signal; and means for generating a fourth current based on the second negative component of the second differential signal; wherein the third signal comprises a fifth positive current related to a sum of the first and third currents, and a sixth negative current related to a sum of the second and fourth currents.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the means generating the data comprises means for generating the data based on whether the fifth current is greater than the sixth current.